Heading:
Author: Plutarch
Title: The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, Compared Together by that Grave Learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chaeronea
Place Published: London
Publisher:Printed by Richard Field
Date Published: 1610-1612
Description: [14], 1244, 31 pp. Translated from the French by Thomas North, based on the earlier translation out of Latin by Charles de l'Escluse. Illustrated at chapter headings with woodcut portrait medallions amid decorative borders, floriated initials. 32x22 cm (12½x8½"), blindstamped 19th century calf in earlier style, raised bands, spine lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers.Fourth edition of North's translation, the first complete version in English, originally published in 1579. North's Plutarch was a major Shakespeare sourcebook; one of the great Elizabethan translations and the standard English text of Plutarch through the 16th and 17th centuries. Initial title page dated 1612; the second part, "The liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus" has separate title page dated 1610. It is a translation by North of a compilation by Simon Goulart of Senlis, partly from the "Vitae excellentium imperatorum" of Cornelius Nepo ("æmylius Probus"). Pagination and register continuous. All early editions of this text have become scarce. Provenance: Bookplates of Jacobus Cowan de Rosshall Armigeri; Nelson Stanley Spencer; W. Jaggard, Stratford-on-Avon; stamp of Shakespeare Press, Stratford-on-Avon to front free endpaper verso. STC 20069.

Light rubbing to binding, front hinge tender; initial title-page soiled, some loss, laid down on backing sheet, leaves generally clean with only rare stains and finger soiling, mostly marginal, and minimal marginal annotations in an early hand; near fine.